Sunday, April 01, 2012

40 Days for Life - Lent 2012 Campaign - Wraps Up

Day 40 reminds me of Augustine's famous advice: "Pray as though everything depends on God; work as though everything depends on you."

You have done just that. We've seen faithful volunteers in 258 cities pray, fast, do community outreach and hold peaceful vigils in front of 258 of the most hopeless places in our world.

Your prayers have brought one thing in particular to the public right-of-way ... HOPE.

Hope is what the abortion industry is afraid of. Hope is what makes women scheduled to have abortions turn around. Hope is what leads abortion workers out of that industry. Hope is what transforms our world.

It is amazing what can happen when you go to the sidewalks and let the love of Christ be present in places that thrive on hopelessness.

This could not be done without your faith, courage and selflessness.

Let me be the first to say thank you for your efforts these past 40 days. Your prayers sent a clear message. Here's a great example from this campaign.

from Auburn Hills, Michigan:

When Seth Peters heard that Planned Parenthood was planning a 17,000 square foot abortion center in Auburn Hills, "minutes away from my parents' house, where I had been lovingly raised and where I still call home, I was heartbroken and angry."

He signed up to bring a 40 Days for Life vigil to the proposed location -- joining other community voices speaking out against the abortion chain’s plans. He received support from many local sources.

Adjacent property owners had previously filed suit, noting that deed restrictions would not permit an abortion facility there. Planned Parenthood may be tied up in court -- but not about to give up.

"Planned Parenthood is hungry for this site," Seth said, noting that it sits near a low-income neighborhood, a college campus and a wealthy suburb -- all prime targets for abortion.

He pushed ahead with vigil plans, even though a number of people didn't see the need for prayer at a place where abortions are not currently taking place. "That is unfortunate," he said, "because it's a bit like waiting until the hurricane hits before you board up your windows."

Planned Parenthood got tired of waiting. They bought an empty medical building in nearby Ferndale and plan to open an office there tomorrow. That facility will not offer abortions, but will refer women to other locations that do.

"You can see how effective prayerful vigilance has been thus far in keeping Planned Parenthood at bay in Auburn Hills," Seth said. "The fact that they have shifted to Ferndale can be considered a victory."

At the very least, he said, "this campaign was about planting seeds and praying that abortion will end at this Auburn Hills location before it ever has a chance to begin."

Clearly, there’s a lot of work to be done ... and a lot of praying to be done. But I know that with God's help, we are witnessing the beginning of the end of abortion.